Seesaw



(No Model.) 2 sheets-s119851. H. A. HAYDEN.

SBESAW. No. 584,131. Patented June 8,1897.

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WlTNESSES: iNVENTOR @www i?? 7 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' H. A. HAYDEN.

SEBSAW 110.584,131. Patented June 8,1897.

WH'NESSES:

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SEESAW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 584,131, dated J' une8, 1897.

Application tiled March 23, 1897. Serial No. 628,810. (No model.)

Be it known that I, HENRY A.' l-IAYDEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Jersey City, Hudson county, New Jersey, have inventedcertain new` and useful Improvements in Seesaws, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to the class of devices intended for recreationand amusement, the object being to provide 'a seesaw for use atseaside-resorts, fairs, pleasure-grounds, the.

In general the device comprises a rocker or rocker-frame of considerablelength mounted at its middle on pivots or trunnions and provided withmeans for balancing it, means for rocking it on its trun nions, andmeans for cushioning it elastically at the end of each rocking movement.lt also has means for locking it in its horizontal position While it isreceiving fares, all as will be hereinafter more fully described withreference to the accompanying drawings, Wherein- Figure l is a sideelevation of the seesaw on a relatively small scale, and Fig. 2 is aplan of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical transversc section of the deviceat the point indicated byline 033 in Fig. 1, but on a larger scale thanthe last-named figure. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side view on the samescale as Fig. 3, showing the position of the parts of the spring-cushiondevice at the end of the movement of the rocker. Fig. 5 is a plan viewof the mechanism belent the line x5 in Fig. l, but on thesame scale asFig. 3. Figs. 6 and 7 are enlarged detail views, the former showing thedevice for locking the Weightshifting Winch or drum and the lattershowing the locking device for the rocker.

Premising that the materials, mode of construction, and proportionsherein shown may be varied considerably Without departingmaterially fromthe invention, the device will now be minutely described as illustratedin the drawin gs.

A is a strong pedestal-frame constructed of two A-frames, of Wood, fixedon abroad base set firmly in or on the ground, and B is the rocker, ofelongated form, supported in bearings a. in the frame A on trunnions hat the middle of the length of the rocker. 'The rocker may be in theform of a truss, or, rather, of two like triangular pendent trussescomposed of iron tubing or pipes connected by sockets in a Well-knownWay and suitably cross-braced. The rocker B has a levelfloored uppersurface and a hand-rail b' for safety. lt is provided at its respectiveends with seats C, as seen in Fig. l, for the riders.

The rocker is held in the horizontal position seen in Fig. l tvhile itis receiving its fares or riders, and the latter mount to it by means ofa suitable stair D. Itis necessary to have some means of balancing therocker in case the weight of the riders at the respec tive ends shouldbe unequal, and the means employed for effecting this object will now bedescribed.

Onk the pedestalframe A is built another frame A', on Which the operatoror attendant stands, and in this frame is mounted a Winch `barrel ordrum c, provided With a crank cl.

On a cross shaft or bar b2 in the frame, Fig. 3, and alined with thetrunnions h are rotatably mounted two guide sheaves e and e. Two othersheaves g and g are rotatively mounted in the rocker B out nearer to itsrespective ends. A Weight box or carriage E is mounted to roll alongtracks 7i under the door of the rocker B and between the sheaves g g.This device maybe a Weight of any kind. A ropez' is secured to one endof the weightcarriage E, passes thence out and around the sheave g,.thence inward and around the sheave e, thence up to and around the drumc, thence down to and around the sheave e', thence out to and around thesheave g', and thence back to the Weight carriage E, to which it issecured. Thus the attendant may by turningthe crank d. shift theWeight-carriage E along its tracks h in either direction, so as tocounterbalance any extra weight at either end of the rocker. The ropeshould have several turns on the drum c to prevent slipping.

It has been stated that means are employed for locking the rocker B inits level or horizontal position, (seen in Fig. 1,) and the particulardevice herein illustrated for effecting this locking will nonT bedescribed With espe cial reference to Figs. 4, 5, and 7.

At the pendent angle of the truss-frame of the rocker B is a transversebar j, and hung loosely on this bar is a locking-arm 7c, the swing orplay of which is limited by a stud ICO m on a collar on the bar j, Fig.'7, said stud engaging a recess in the end of the arm 7c, the recessforming limiting-shoulders. This arm 7a carries at its free end alocking-stud 7c', which projects laterally from the arm and is adaptedto play over a convex-surfaced plate n on the base of the frame A, inwhich plate is a locking-recess 'n'. (Seen clearly in Figs. 4 and 7.)Vhen the rocker B is rocking at its maximum speed, the stud 7c will jumpover the recess n/ as it glides along the plate n; but when the rockeris slowed down for stopping and the stud 7c comes over the recess n itwill drop into said recess, the position of the latter being such thatthe engagement therewith of the stud 7c' takes place when the rocker Bis horizontal, as in Fig. l. To unlock the rocker, a cord or wire 0,attached to the free end of the arm 7o, extends up to a point withinreach of the attendant, so that he may lift the arm 7a and free the studk' from the locking-recess, and, if desired, he may fasten the cord soas to keep the arm 7c elevated during the normal operation of therocker, dropping said arm only when he wishes to stop the rocking. Inorder to prevent unauthorized persons from raising the arm 7c andfreeing the rocker B at the wrong time-as when it is out of balance, forexample-the locking-recess n is made a little larger than the stud k',except at its mouth or outlet, which will be just wide enough to admitthe stud easily. Consequently when the rocker is unbalanced the studwill be pressed to one side of the recess and will take under an overhangin g part of the wall thereof, as seen in Fig. 7, so that it cannot belifted out until the rocker is properly balanced and brought to aperfectly level position. Preferably there will be two arms k to impartstrength, the stud or pin 7n' extending across from one arm to theother, as seen in Fig. 5; but this use of a pair of arms is notessential to the invention.

The spring-cushion device will now be described with especial referenceto Figs. 1, 4, and 5. Premisin g that, as here shown, there are two likespring-cushion devices, one at each side of the frame, and that this isthe preferred construction, although one device will suffice, andpremising, further, that as the devices are exactly alike and adescriptionof one will suffice, a description of but one will be given.Mounted rotatively on the bar j, at the lower angle of the truss of therocker, is a sheave p, and mounted rotatively on the base of the frameA, at equal distances from its center, are two like sheaves q (1X. Twohelical compression-springs fr TX are arranged to abut on opposite facesof a fixed part of the frame A at its middle, and through these springsextend compressionrods s SX, which have heads or nuts to engage theouter ends of the springs and eyes in their other ends. A rope, band, orchain t is fastened at one end to the eye in the compression-rod SX,passes about the sheave q, thence over the sheave p, thence over theother sheave QX on the base, and thence to the compression-rod s, towhich it is secured. when the rocker Bis rocked the sheave p travels ina curve until it reaches one of its two terminal positions, Fig. t, andin doing so it gradually puts compression on the springs o" TX, as willbe seen from inspection. Thus the movements of the rocker B arecushioned in both directions.

In order to prevent the rope t from jumping off the sheaves, suitablekeepers may be employed. In the drawings these are represented assmaller sheaves. The keeper-sheave u serves to keep the rope in place onthe sheave p and the keeper-sheaves e and 'r perform the same servicefor the respective sheaves q and qX; but in the latter case thekeeper-sheave is carried by arms which swing radially about the bars wand ywX, on which are mounted the respective sheaves q and QX, so thatthe keeper-sheaves may swing out of the way, as seen at the left in Fig.et. To bring the keeper-sheave back to its lposition over the top of themain sheave after it has been displaced, there is a coil-spring .2'about bar w or wX, on which the arm is mounted, one end of said springbeing attached to the arm and the other to the said bar. Thisconstruction. which is a common one, is sufficiently well illustrated inFig. 5.

The apparatus is operated in the manner now to be described. The rockerB is supposed to be at rest, as in Fig. l, and the attendant in positionat A'. The riderssay two cou plesascend the stairs and take their placesin the seats O, a couple at each end of the rocker B. If there is anotable difference in the weight of the couples, the attendant mustshift the weight-carriage until the rocker is made to balance, and he isthen able to lift the locking-arm 7c by means of the rope or cord o. Therocker being now free to move. the attendant sets it to rocking byshifting the weight-carriage from side to side of its balancingposition. Then he wishes it to stop, he brings the weight-carriage tothe balancing position and lets down the locking-arm k, which as themovement slows down catches and locks the rocker fast.

The attendant may have an ordinary indicator on the frame adapted toplay over a graduated arc on the rocker or some other wheel CL2 on ashaft a3 in the frame A', and a z chain d4, coupling the two wheels. Onthe shaft a3 is a hand-wheel d5, by which the attendant can set therocker in motion. Sprocket-wheels and a connecting-chain are IOO zog

preferred to bevel-gears and shafting for this purpose, for the reasonthat the trunnions b of the rocker B are made to roll to and fro intheir bearings a, which has the effect to shift the bar h2 a littlelaterally, but not to an extent sufficient to materially adect thesprocket and chain gearing described above.

To prevent the Weight-carriage E from shifting, the Winch barrel or drumc may have on it a toothed Wheel c and a dog c2 be mounted on the framein position to engage the teeth of said Wheel. This device is best seenin Fig. 6.

It will be understood that While the flexible parts designated by t andt are here spoken of as ropes, and ropes are preferred, they may bechains or the like as Well.

Having thus described my invention, I claimi. In a seesaiv, thecombination with a supporting-frame provided with a platform for theoperator, and a rocker pivotally mounted on said frame, said rockerbeing provided with a track, extending from the pivot in both directionsout on the two arms of the rocker, the Weight E, mounted on said trackand adapted to be shifted to either side of the pivot of the rocker, theWinch barrel or drum c, mounted rotatively in the fixed frame above thepivotal point, the sheaves e, e on the rocker-shaft, and g, g', mountedrotatively on the roc-ker, in the positions specified, and the rope i,on said Winch-barrel and sheaves and attached to said weight, wherebythe operator may shift the Weight from side to side of the pivot foroperating the rocker.

2. In a seesaw, the combination with a supporting-frame A,and a fixedcam-plate n, having in it a recess n' with shoulders as described, ofthe triangular rocker B, pivotally mounted in said frame, and the armla, pivotally hung to the lower or pendent angle of said rocker andprovided with a stud 7a', adapted to Wipe over said cam-plate and toengage the' recess therein when the rocker moves slowly, said stud beingalso adapted to take under and engage a shoulder in the recess n whenthe rocker is not precisely level, substantially as set forth.

3. In a seesaw, the combination with a fixed supporting-frame, a rockerpivotally mounted therein, a Weight mounted on a track extendinglongitudinally of the rocker from the pivotal point out along each armthereof, a Weight on said trac-l; and mechanism for shifting said weightfrom side to side of the pivotal point, of a cushion device comprising asheave p on the pendent angle of the rocker, a rope over said sheave andsecured to springs at its ends, the said springs,and guide-sheaves forsaid rope, substantially as set forth.

' 4. In a seesaW, the combination with a supporting-frame and a rocherpivotallymounted on said frame, of means for rocking said rocker on itstrunnions or pivots, and a springcushion mechanism for cushioning therocker at the termination of its movements, said cushion mechanismcomprising a sheave p on the pendent portion of the roc-ker, two sheavesq and gx, on the frame in substantially the positions shown, twocompression springs r and rx, Which abut on a iiXed part, tWocompression-rods, sand SX, which extend through said springs, and a ropet, arranged over and about said sheaves and secured at its respectiveends to said compressiolrrods, substantialhT as and for the purposes setforth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

HENRY A. HAYDEN.

Vitnesses:

HENRY CoNNErfr, PETER A. Ross.

